Hampshire

Hampshire offers the best of both worlds with beautifully
countryside and a varied and historic coastline. Hampshire
has a long maritime history, and the mighty seafaring
ports of Southampton and Portsmouth stand on its coast,
within two great natural harbours. With excellent road
and rail links to london, Hampshire is one of the most
popular rural destinations in England, for Londoners.

The north of the county is banded by the chalky
uplands of the North and South Downs. A few wooded
areas in the east are all that remain of the ancient
Wealden Forest, that once stretched right across Sussex.
However, the large expanse of the New Forest, one of
Hamshire's two national parks, still remains in the
south-west, where the famous New Forest wild ponies
roam freely through its glades.

The south coast
is low-lying and indented, with several parts, such
as Hayling Island, cut off from the mainland by narrow
strips of sea. The Isle
of Wight is more widely separated from the mainland
by the Solent. Cowes (on the island) is a world renowned
sailing centre, where the Royal Yacht Squadron has
its headquarters.

'Should all our churchmen foam in spite At you, so careful of the right, Yet one lay-hearth would give you welcome (Take it and come) to the Isle of Wight.'